Expert Advice on How to Treat a Dry, Flaky Scalp

Now that it's officially spring, we're packing up our puffers, retiring our tights, and of course, swapping out our heavy duty moisturizers for lightweight ones. But there's one thing we can't seem to shake from the polar vortex of winter, and it's a beauty condition that's equal parts uncomfortable and embarrassing: an itchy, flaky scalp. Small patches of dryness along the hairline can pop up out of nowhere, causing major distress. You know the feeling—when your hair looks dirty even after it's freshly washed—it's the worst. So how can you make this flaky itchiness disappear, stat? We enlisted the help of some industry experts to get to the root of the problem.

"It's most likely seborrheic dermatitis, or the fancy term for dandruff," explains Massachusetts dermatologist Papri Sarkar. Awesome. And while seborrheic dermatitis might look like dry scalp, it's actually oily. "It's the cause of an overproduction of oil or other secretions in the skin, or an increase in normal skin yeasts," explains Carlos Wesley, cosmetic surgeon and hair loss specialist in New York City. The oil on the scalp blocks dead skin cells from shedding like they normally would, and in turn, these dead cells become more apparent—hence, the super attractive flakes along the hairline. But apparently the presence of a dry, itchy spot along the anterior or front hairline is not all that uncommon during wintertime. "When the weather turns colder, we often see more of these complaints of just a "spot" of it along the hairline," notes Sarkar.

While the condition is not exactly curable, there are several ways that you can help keep those flakes at bay. First, go grab an antidandruff shampoo. "Products containing tar, zinc pyrithione, or selenium sulfide often prove most beneficial," notes Wesley (we like Clear Complete Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, $4.99, target.com). Since the product needs to have contact time with the scalp in order to work, Sarkar recommends applying the shampoo to the affected area before you jump in the shower and hang around for a few minutes to let the formula do its deflaking thing. "For most people I recommend using it only on the scalp, not the hair, because it is quite drying," she warns. "You can rotate it with other shampoos but make sure to use it at least a few times a week to prevent the spot from coming back." If the dry, itchy, flakiness continues, she recommends applying a prescription topical steroid as you need it. "You can also try over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream (1 percent) and use that twice a day for three to five days. It's weak enough that it won't cause any side effects," she adds.

The shampoo-hydrocortizone cream combo worked like a charm for us after just three days (phew), but if you're still not seeing results you might want to take a closer look at your product lineup. "You may have a sensitivity to a new hair care product. An ingredient found in many hair products (paraphenylenediamine) is a common culprit in contact dermatitis which leads to red, itchy (and sometimes flaking) scalp," warns Wesley. But luckily the treatment for this kind of condition is rather simple: switch to another product and you should be flake-free and good as new in no time.